Memorial Day Ceremony to be Held at Veterans Park Monday

Area residents are invited this Memorial Day to honor those who paid the ultimate price to ensure the liberties we all enjoy today.

This year’s community ceremony will be a little different than in years past thanks to the pandemic. The annual event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 worries.

Normally held in the National Guard Armory, this year’s brief ceremony will take place at the Veterans Park on Veterans Drive at about noon.

“We didn’t want 60-70 people packed inside the Armory,” said Disabled American Veterans Commander Ray Wilburn. “So, we’re holding it outside this year.”

It’s sponsored jointly by the Oxford chapters of the DAV, the Veterans of Foreign War and the American Legion.

The ceremony honors veterans who have died this year as well as all those who have died while serving and by natural causes. Unlike Veterans Day services, the Memorial Day Ceremony is generally a more somber affair.

At about 11:45 a.m., the three commanders of the veterans organizations will place a memorial wreath, donated by Bette’s Flowers, on the lawn of the Lafayette County Courthouse.

At noon, attendees are invited to gather at the Veterans Park where the American flag will be lowered and a brief ceremony will follow.

After the ceremony, veterans and their families will go to the Veterans Building just west of the park for hot dogs and hamburgers.